Move over, Cinderella.
You got it all wrong.
No one grows up dreaming of becoming a Stepmother. After all, Stepmothers are evil right? We're greedy, mean, jealous women who make our stepchildren clean the house all day and all night!
Needless to say, we don't have the best image in our blended families. When I stepped into this role, I was up against some pretty negative fairytale definitions. Thankfully, it didn't take long to squash those portrayals and begin the beautiful relationship I have with my stepdaughter.
As my stepdaughter has grown, her curiosity has grown as well. She's asked many insightful questions as to why her life is the way it is. I searched high and low for a children's book to help explain the concept of two-home living. What I discovered was that while there was an overload of resources for the adults experiencing divorce, there was very little for the children...so I decided to do something about it! And The I HAVE Series was born.
I've been living out my "happily ever after" with my husband, stepdaughter, and now our two sons just outside Chicago since 2011, and it's been nothing short of a wild ride! A stepfamily faces many unique challenges and triumphs, and I am beyond proud and grateful for the family tree we have grown together.
